Synchronous semiconductor memory device

ABSTRACT

A synchronous semiconductor memory device such as SDRAM easy in timing adjustment of column selection and capable of reducing cycle time and access time to be minimum value without reducing access margin is provided. The synchronous semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array constituted in a matrix form, a command decoder and an address buffer operative in synchronism with the leading end of clock signal, a row decoder for decoding row address to select word line of the memory cell, a column control signal generating circuit for generating a column control signal, and a column decoder for taking thereinto column address taken in by the address buffer by a column address taking-in signal generated from the command decoder in synchronism with the leading end of the clock signal to allow a column select signal line to be active.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No.H11-070879, filed on Mar. 16,1999 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates to a synchronous semiconductor memory device suchas a synchronous DRAM, etc. in which data read and write operations aresynchronously controlled by clock signals.

In a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), commands and/or addresses are takenthereinto in synchronism with a clock signal and read/write operationsof data are carried out in accordance with read/write control signals.For example, at the time of data read operation, data on a bit line of amemory cell array is selected by a column decoder and is transferred toa data line. At this time, in the column decoder controlled by the clocksignals, a column select clock signal corresponding to an establishedinternal column address is supplied thereto and a column select line fortransferring the selected data on the bit line to the data line iscaused to be active.

For a time period during which an address is taken in after a READcommand is established and is decoded so that internal column address isestablished, there exists a predetermined delay time because data ispassed through many gates. The number of gate stages of the clock systemto generate a column control clock signal for allowing a column selectsignal to be active in accordance with the a command from an internalclock signal generated by taking an external clock signal thereinto issmaller than that of the above-described address system. Accordingly, inorder that the column control clock signal is caused to be generatedafter the internal column address is established, an approach where apredetermined delay is given to the generation path of column controlclock signal.

In more practical sense, the delay time from the time when the externaladdress is taken in to the time when the internal column address isestablished and the delay time for generating the column select clocksignal in response to the READ command are both determined with risingedge of the clock signal being as a reference timing. If a delay time ofthe column select clock signal is adjusted in order that the columnselect clock signal is generated substantially simultaneously withestablishment of the internal column address and is delivered to thefinal stage of the column decoder, an access time from command input todata output becomes minimum.

However, in practice, since transfer paths for address and clock signalare different as described above, it is difficult to optimumly carry outtiming adjustment. For this reason, such an approach has been generallycarried out to give delay time longer than the internal column addressestablishment time so that erroneous column selection is securelyprevented. This constitutes the cause to impede more shortening ofaccess time.

In addition, when an order of timings of the internal column addressestablishment and of generation of the column select clock signal arereversed because of any causes such as variations in process, even ifthe period of clock signal delivered is elongated to elongate the cycletime, the above-supplied timing relationship will not be changed,resulting in that there is no relief measure. This is because the timerequired for establishment of the internal column address and the timerequired for generation of the column select clock signal are bothdetermined with rising edge of clock signal being as reference asdescribed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention has been made in view of circumstances as describedabove, and its object is to provide a synchronous semiconductor memorydevice which is easy in timing adjustment of column selection andpermitting to make cycle time and access time minimum without decreasingaccess margin.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided asynchronous semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell array having memory cells disposed in matrix form andoperating on the basis of a clock signal;

a plurality of word lines;

a plurality of column lines;

a row decoder for designating address of the word lines;

a column control signal generating circuit for generating a columncontrol signal; and

a column decoder for designating address of the column lines

wherein taking-in said column address is performed in synchronism with aleading end of the clock signal and the column control signal isgenerated in synchromism with a trailing end of the clock signal.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda synchronous semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell array having memory cells, in which bit lines and wordlines are disposed in an intersecting manner and the memory cells aredisposed as respective intersecting portions;

a command decoder for decoding command which designates operation modein synchronism with the leading end of a clock signal;

an address buffer for taking address thereinto in synchronism with theleading end of the clock signal;

a row decoder for decoding row address taken in by the address buffer toselect word line of the memory cell array;

a column control signal generating circuit for generating a columncontrol signal in synchronism with a trailing end of the clock signal onthe basis of read control signal decoded by the command decoder; and

a column decoder for taking thereinto column address taken in by theaddress buffer by a column address taking-in signal generated from thecommand decoder in synchronism with the leading end of the clock signalto allow a column select signal line to be active, the column selectsignal line serving to select bit line of the memory cell array on thebasis of column control signal generated from the column control signalgenerating circuit.

In accordance with this invention, such an approach is employed to carryout taking-in of column address in synchronism with the leading end of aclock signal, and to generate a column control signal for decoding thecolumn address thus taken in to allow column select line to be active insynchronism with the trailing end of the clock signal. Thus, byadjusting period of the clock signal, adjustments of the timing ofinternal column address establishment and the timing of column controlsignal can be carried out. As a result, access time and cycle time canbe shortened without decreasing access margin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the attached drawings,

FIG. 1 is a view showing the configuration of SDRAM according to anembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the configuration of memory cell array sectionof the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a more practical configuration of the essentialpart in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of data read operation at SDRAM of theabove-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram showing a more practical example of clocksignal period adjustment in the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram showing another more practical example of aclock signal period adjustment in the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a timing diagram for explaining decreasing of access margin inthe case where period of clock signal is shortened in the conventionalsystem.

FIG. 8 is a timing diagram showing the state where access margin is notchanged in the case where clock signal period is shortened by thisembodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view showing the configuration of SDRAM of anotherembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing the detailed construction of thecolumn clock controller shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described withreference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows, in a block form, the configuration of an SDRAM accordingto one embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 2 shows a more practicalconfiguration of the memory cell array thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, thememory cell array 1 is of a structure such that a plurality of bit linepairs BL, bBL(hereinafter b denotes bar, i.e. inverted logic) and aplurality of word lines WL are disposed in an intersecting (crossed)manner and dynamic type memory cells MC are disposed at respectiveintersecting portions. Ordinarily, the memory cell array 1 is disposedin the state divided into plural sub cell arrays, and FIG. 2 shows onesub cell array 11 thereof.

In the memory cell array 1, bit line sense amplifiers 12 are disposed atboth sides of the sub cell array in a manner such that the sub cellarray 11 is put therebetween. Moreover, a plurality of main data linepairs DQ, bDQ are disposed above the memory cell array 1, and the bitline pairs BL, bBL are selected by column select gates 13 so that theyare connected to the main data line pairs DQ, bDQ. Data of the main dataline pair DQ, bDQ are amplified by a data line buffer 14, and arefurther read out through peripheral data lines RD and output buffersalthough not shown in the figure. The word lines WL and the bit linesBL, bBL of the memory cell array 1 are respectively selected by a rowdecoder 2 and a column decoder 3.

In this embodiment, as clock signals used for synchronization control ofdata read and write operations, there are prepared reference clocksignal CLK and bar clock signal BCLK complementary thereto. These clocksignals CLK, BCLK are respectively taken in by a CLK buffer 41 and aBCLK buffer 42 of a clock signal buffer 4 so that internal clock signalsCLKINt, CLKINc are provided.

Various commands such as chip select CS, row address strobe RAS, columnaddress strobe CAS and write enable WE for instructing read/writeoperations are taken into a command decoder 7 through a command buffer 6and are decoded thereat. The command decoder 7 latches command inresponse to rising edge of the internal clock signal CLKINt. Externaladdress ADD is similarly taken into an address buffer 8 in response torising edge of the internal clock signal CLKINt and is latched. Theexternal address ADD thus latched is controlled by clock signal and istaken out to address bus AILTC. The address bus AILTC is an address buscommon to row and column.

The address taken into the address bus AILTC is decoded by the rowdecoder 2 and the column decoder 3. Thus, word line/bit line selectionis made. In FIG. 1, elements for the column line selection are indicatedin detail and elements for the row system for carrying out word lineselection is briefly indicated. At the command decoder 7, initially,control signal ACT of the row system is generated with rising edge ofthe clock signal CLKINt being as reference. Thus, row address is takenin and is decoded. In the case of data read operation, after the rowsystem is caused to be active, the read control signal READ and thecolumn address taking-in (fetch) control signal TPLC are generated atthe command decoder 7 with rising edge of the clock signal CLKINt beingas reference,

In the column clock signal generating circuit 5, at a column clocksignal controller 51, a first column control signal CSCK is generated bylogical operation of read control signal READ and the internal clocksignal CLKINc of the bar clock signal BCLK. This column control signalCSCK is further delayed by a predetermined time by a clock signal driver52. Thus, second column control signal CSLCLK is obtained.

Column address is taken into an address counter 9 by a column addresstaking-in (fetch) control signal TPLC, and is counted up by the firstcolumn control signal CSCK. As a result, column addresses CA of thenumber responsive to the number of burst length for determining how manybits are outputted are generated. The column address CA thus generatedis decoded as a last column address YA which selects desired one ofrespective column select lines CSL by a partial column decoder 31 in thecolumn decoder 3. This column address YA is decoded by a main decoder 32in synchronism with the column control signal CSLCLK generated from theclock signal generating circuit 5. Thus, a desired column select lineCSL is caused to be active.

FIG. 3 shows a more practical configuration of the essential part of thecolumn decoder 3 and the column system clock signal generating circuit 5of FIG. 1. The column clock signal controller 51 basically provideslogical product of read control signal READ and internal clock signalCLKTNc to generate column control signal CSCK. The detailed constructionof the column clock signal controller 51 is shown in FIG. 10. Accordingto this figure, an AND gate to produce logical product of CLKINc andREAD, and a flip-flop in which one input side has an inverter chain.

The clock signal driver 52 generates column control signal CSLCLKobtained by delaying, by a predetermined time, the column control signalCSCK by plural stages of inverters.

At the address counter 9, column address on the address bus AILTC istaken into a node 92 by a tri-state CMOS buffer 91 controlled by thecolumn address taking-in (fetch) control signal TPLC. The column addresstaken into this node 92 is transferred to an output node 96 through abuffer 93, a tri-state CMOS buffer 94 controlled by the column controlsignal CSCK and a buffer 95. In addition, this column address is takenout as a predetermined number of column addresses CA by count-up by thecolumn control signal CSCK. At the main column decoder 32, by logicalproduct of the column control signal CSLCLK and the last column addressYA, the column select line CSL is caused to be active. The columncontrol signal CSLCLK is supplied also to the data line buffer 14 asshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of data read operation in this embodiment. Asshown in the figure, row address RA is taken in at time t0 of rising;edge (i.e., leading end) of the reference clock signal CLK. A controlsignal ACT is generated in response to the row address RA. As a result,the row address is decoded. Thus, the word line WL is selected.

The read control signal READ and the column address taking-in controlsignal TPLC are generated with time t1 which is rising edge of thereference clock signal CLK being as reference at time delayed by, e.g.,2 clock signals from the row address taking-in (fetch) operation. Thus,external column address CA is taken in by control signal TPLC.

For a time period during which the column address thus taken in ispassed through the address counter 9 and is transferred to a node 96 asit is, since the column control signal CSCK is at “L” level andThereafter, the column address is counted up by column control signalCSCK generated with the rising edge of the bar clock signal BCLK (i.e.,trailing end of the reference clock signal CLK) being as reference. As aresult, column addresses CA(0), CA(1) are prepared in succession. Thesecolumn addresses CA(0), CA(1) are further decoded, and last columnaddresses YA(0), YA(1) are obtained.

Furthermore, by performing logical product of the column addressesYA(0), YA(1) thus obtained and column control signal CSLCLK generated attiming slightly delayed from the column control signal CSCK, differentcolumn select lines CSL0, CSL1 are selected and driven in sequence.

As stated above, in this embodiment, reference timing for taking in(fetching) column address is caused to be rising edge of reference clocksignal CLK, and reference timing for generating column control signalsCSCK. CSLCLK is caused to be falling edge of the reference clock signalCLK. Thus, there is no possibility that the time margin is reduced bydelay time adjustment of column control signal with respect toestablished timing of internal column address as in the prior art. As aresult, adjustments of established timing of internal column address andtiming of column control clock signal can be made by period adjustmentof clock signal.

This will be described in more practical sense with reference to FIGS. 5and 6.

FIG. 5 shows, on an enlarged scale, timings of main signals in thetiming diagram shown in FIG. 4. For the clock signal period T0 indicatedby solid line, the column control signal CSLCLK rises, earlier than thedelay time τ from rising edge of the reference clock signal CLK up toestablishment of the internal column address YA. In this case, thecolumn select signal CSL indicated by solid line is erroneouslyselected. Hitherto, in order to prevent such an erroneous selection,delay time τ0 from occurrence of the column control signal CSCK tooccurrence of column control signal CSLCLK was adjusted.

On the contrary, in this embodiment, clock signal period is elongatedfrom T0 to T1 as indicated by broken lines. Thus, delay time τ fromrising edge of the reference clock signal CLK up to establishment ofcolumn address is caused to be as it is, and the column control signalsCSCK, CSLCLK generated with falling edge of the reference clock signalCLK being as reference are delayed, thereby making it possible togenerate column control signal CSLCLK after establishment of columnaddress YA. As a result, correct column select signal CSL can beobtained.

FIG. 6 shows the example where when clock signal period is T0 asindicated by a solid line, occurrence timing of the column controlsignal CSLCLK is too late with respect to established timing of columnaddress YA although it is not erroneous selection. In this case, clocksignal period is reduced to value T1 as indicated by broken lines. Thus,occurrence of the column control signal CSLCLK is caused to be early,thus making it possible to generate the column select signal CSLimmediately after the column address is established. Namely, reductionof cycle time and access time can be made.

As stated above, in accordance with this embodiment, by adjustment ofclock signal period, timing of the column control signal CSLCLK can beadjusted so that it is located at optimum position in point of time withrespect to timing of column address establishment. Further, reduction ofcycle time and access time can be made. In addition, in the case of theconventional method of carrying out internal column addressestablishment and timing adjustment of column control signal by delaytime adjustment of column control signal, when clock signal period isreduced, access margin would be reduced, whereas in the case of thisembodiment, there is no possibility that the access margin is reduced.

This point will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 7 shows the case of the conventional system, wherein the columncontrol signal CSLCLK is generated with a predetermined delay time τ0after the internal column address YA is established. In this case, thetime from establishment of the internal column address YA until thecolumn select line CSL is caused to be active so that data istransferred to the peripheral data line RD is constant. Output buffer iscontrolled in response to rising edge of clock signal CLK. Thus, marginuntil data transferred to the peripheral data line RD is taken out asdata output Dout becomes small in the case where clock signal period isshortened as indicated by broken lines.

On the contrary, in the case of this embodiment, the operation is asindicated in FIG. 8. In the state where clock signal period is long asindicated by solid line, the time from establishment of the internalcolumn address YA to occurrence of the column control clock signalCSLCLK results in wasteful time. In view of the above, in order tonullify such wasteful time, clock signal period is assumed to beshortened as indicated by broken lines. At this time, occurrence timingof the column control clock signal CSLCLK becomes early, data transferto the peripheral data line RD becomes fast, and timing of data outputDout also becomes early. Namely, timings of the entirety all becomeearly, and access margin in the case where clock signal period is longand that in the case where clock signal period is short are not changed.Namely, access time and cycle time can be shortened without reducingaccess margin.

In order to shift the timing of the column control clock signal, it isnecessary to change the period of the clock signal which is externallysupplied. For this purpose, a clock generator 60 shown by a broken lineand provided outside of this device may be a variable frequency orfrequency controllable clock generator.

Such frequency control may preferably be performed on the basis oflatency.

FIG. 9 shows an SDRAM of another embodiment of this invention. Theconfiguration of this embodiment is similar to the previously describedembodiment, and the same reference numerals as those of FIG. 1 arerespectively attached to the portions corresponding to those in FIG. 1and detailed description will be omitted. While the bar clock signalBCLK is used in the previously described embodiment, only referenceclock signal CLK is used in this embodiment. In this embodiment, theinternal clock signal CLKINt which has been taken in by clock signalbuffer 4 is inverted by inverter I to obtain a complementary clocksignal CLKINc corresponding to the bar clock signal BCLK in thepreviously described embodiment. Further, with rising timing of thisclock signal CLKINc being as reference, the column control signals CSCK,CSLCLK are generated. In addition, other portions of this embodiment arenot changed with respect to the previously described embodiment.

Also by the this embodiment, effects or advantages similar to thepreviously described embodiment can be obtained.

As described above, in accordance with this invention, it is possible toprovide a synchronous semiconductor memory device easy in timingadjustment of column selection and capable of reducing cycle time andaccess time to the minimum value without reducing access margin.

What is claimed is:
 1. A synchronous semiconductor memory devicecomprising: a memory cell array having memory cells disposed in matrixform and operating on the basis of a clock signal; a plurality of wordlines; a plurality of column lines; a row decoder for designating anaddress of the word lines; a column control signal generating circuitfor generating a column control signal; and a column decoder fordesignating a column address of the column lines in response to thecolumn control signal; wherein fetching said column address is performedin synchronism with a leading end of the clock signal and the columncontrol signal is generated in synchronism with a trailing end of theclock signal.
 2. The synchronous semiconductor memory device accordingto claim 1, wherein said trailing end of the clock signal corresponds toa leading end of a complementary clock signal having inverted logic withthe clock signal.
 3. The synchronous semiconductor memory deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said memory device further comprises aclock buffer coupled to receive the clock signal and an externalcomplementary clock signal and for outputting the clock signal and thecomplementary clock signal.
 4. The synchronous semiconductor memorydevice according to claim 1, wherein said memory device furthercomprises a clock buffer coupled to receive the clock signal from anexternal source and for outputting the clock signal, and an inverter forinverting the clock signal to provide a complementary clock signal. 5.The synchronous semiconductor memory device according to claim 1,wherein a timing for fetching the column address is controllable by aperiod of the clock signal to minimize an access time and a cycle time.6. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according to claim 1,wherein said clock signal is supplied from an external frequencycontrollable clock generator.
 7. A synchronous semiconductor memorydevice comprising: a memory cell array having memory cells, in which bitlines and word lines are disposed in an intersecting manner and thememory cells are disposed at respective intersecting portions; a commanddecoder for decoding a command which designates operation mode insynchronism with a leading end of a clock signal; an address buffer forreceiving an address in synchronism with the leading end of the clocksignal; a row decoder for decoding a row address received by the addressbuffer to select one of the word lines of the memory cell array; acolumn control signal generating circuit for generating a column controlsignal in synchronism with a trailing end of the clock signal on thebasis of a read control signal decoded by the command decoder; and acolumn decoder for fetching a column address received by the addressbuffer in response to a column address fetching signal generated fromthe command decoder in synchronism with the leading end of the clocksignal to allow a column select signal line to be active, the columnselect signal line serving to select one of the bit lines of the memorycell array on the basis of the column control signal.
 8. The synchronoussemiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein, by periodadjustment of the clock signal, adjustments of timing of internal columnaddress establishment and timing of the column control signal are made.9. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according to claim 7,wherein said trailing end of the clock signal corresponds to a leadingend of a complementary clock signal having inverted logic with the clocksignal.
 10. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according toclaim 7, wherein said memory device further comprises a clock buffercoupled to receive the clock signal and an external complementary clocksignal and for outputting the clock signal and the complementary clocksignal.
 11. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according toclaim 7, wherein said memory device further comprises a clock buffercoupled to receive the clock signal from an external source and foroutputting the clock signal, and an inverter for inverting the clocksignal to provide a complementary clock signal.
 12. The synchronoussemiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein a timing forfetching the column address is controllable to minimize an access timeand cycle time.
 13. The synchronous semiconductor memory deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein the clock signal is supplied from anexternal frequency controllable clock generator.
 14. A synchronoussemiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array havingmemory cells selected by a plurality of word lines and a plurality ofcolumn lines; a row decoder for selecting the word lines of said memorycell array; a column control signal generating circuit for generating acolumn control signal; and a column decoder for decoding a columnaddress of the column lines in response to the column control signal;wherein the column decoder fetches the column address in synchronismwith a leading end of a selected cycle of a clock signal and said columncontrol signal generating circuit generates the column control signal insynchronism with a trailing end of the selected cycle of the clocksignal.
 15. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according toclaim 14, wherein said trailing end of the clock signal corresponds to aleading end of a complementary clock signal having inverted logic withthe clock signal.
 16. The synchronous semiconductor memory deviceaccording to claim 14, wherein said memory device further comprises aclock buffer coupled to receive the clock signal as an external clocksignal and an external complementary clock signal and for outputting theclock signal and complementary clock signal.
 17. The synchronoussemiconductor memory device according to claim 14, wherein said memorydevice further comprises a clock buffer coupled to receive the clocksignal from an external source and for outputting the external clocksignal as the clock signal, and an inverter coupled to said clock bufferfor inverting the clock signal to provide a complementary clock signal.18. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according to claim 14,wherein a timing for fetching the column address is controllable by aperiod of the clock signal to minimize an access time and a cycle time.19. The synchronous semiconductor memory device according to claim 14,wherein the clock signal is supplied from an external frequencycontrollable clock generator.